


Unnecessary Nervousness

by ominousrum



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, because that's how i roll, full on ridiculous scenario here folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-07
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-09-25 02:09:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9797825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ominousrum/pseuds/ominousrum
Summary: The mystery man was wonderfully tall, dark, and handsome from what she could tell without the use of binoculars.





	

**Author's Note:**

> from lifeinahole27's prompt "I was dancing in my room just to realize my window was open and you live next door"

Low rise apartment buildings weren’t exactly glamourous. Most were dilapidated relics built in the mid-sixties, pipes eroding away with each passing year. Emma Swan did have to admit, however, that the spacious bedrooms and wide balconies were worth putting up with a bit of shabbiness. Summer was rapidly giving way to fall, but the evenings were not so chilly yet that she couldn’t take a bottle of scotch and a book outside to enjoy some fresh air. Her balcony had one springy but comfortable chair, a small glass-topped table, and a portable stereo precariously perched on an abandoned cooler that had been there since she’d moved in.

Emma liked her quiet street, a handful of bungalows and two apartment buildings facing each other from either side of the winding lane. She would watch the windows sometimes, usually in the very early morning before her eyes fully realized they were open; the bitter heat of her coffee centering her into wakefulness. A single mom and her young son lived on the fourth floor; Emma often smiled down at them as the woman struggled to get the boy dressed for school. A strange, reclusive man with a cane occupied the third floor but Emma always felt a shiver on her skin when she looked in his direction that she was sure had nothing to do with any chill in the air.

The sixth floor apartment directly opposite her own had been vacant since she’d been living there. Emma had gotten used to the stillness; catching her own reflection in the window with an occasional grin. She was almost disappointed when, one bleary-eyed Sunday morning, cardboard boxes replaced her usual view. It wasn’t until she caught a glimpse of her new, adequately scruffy neighbour that she thought she may like the new view more. The mystery man was wonderfully tall, dark, _and_ handsome from what she could tell without the use of binoculars. Emma chided herself for staring so openly.   


She tried to go about her usually Sunday routine of lazily trudging baskets of laundry downstairs in between Netflix binging Parks & Rec but her eyes kept wandering to her new neighbour. It wasn’t until he disappeared from view that Emma decided a trip to the local diner would help to clear her head.

Coming face to face to the sexy man himself pressed up against the counter at Granny’s certainly did not score one for head clearing. The diner’s namesake beckoning to meet him made her cheeks flush deep pink. He was dressed in black jeans, a worn grey t-shirt and black leather jacket which only served to amplify the hotness.

“Emma! Come and meet the lovely man who just moved into the neighbourhood!”

The man spun to face her, pausing a moment to take in the sight of her before fixing her with a broad smile. Emma tried to ignore the swooping in her stomach as his blue eyes sparkled.  

“Hi. Just moved in?”

“Aye, today. Seems like a pretty welcoming place.” The swooping turned into an entire flock of birds the second Emma heard the smooth British accent that accompanied his gorgeous face. Surely that level of attractiveness was illegal somehow. She could barely nod in response.

“Emma? You want your usual?” Granny piped up.

“Yes, please. Extra pickles on the side this time.”

“Coming up.”

“Do you have a special order? Care to enlighten me on the knowledge you’ve acquired as a regular?”

“I don’t know if you’re ready to handle such insider info.”

The grin that met her reply threatened to turn her legs into jelly. “In that case, let me introduce myself so we can get better acquainted – Killian Jones.”

“Emma,” she said, pausing to brush her fingers against his outstretched hand before realizing Granny had already made her name quite clear, “Swan. Emma Swan.”

“Pleasure,” Killian grinned wider.

“Order up!” Granny smiled knowingly at the two of them, catching Emma’s eye with a near imperceptible nod of approval at the deepening rose flushing on Emma’s cheeks.

“Uh, welcome to Storybrooke,” Emma managed to squeak out, “maybe I’ll see you around sometime.”

“I certainly hope so, Swan,” Killian smiled as Emma attempted to squash the fluttering of her heart out of her ears with a slight shake of her head.

She managed to clip an elbow opening the door, spinning her around for one more glance at smouldering blue eyes taking in her clumsy escape.

***

  


Emma welcomed Friday evening with a 6-pack of beer and a giant cheese pizza. She had been stuck in her car most of the day tailing a con-artist who’d skipped his bail, managing to nab him easily once his parking meter ran out of time. She imagined eating al fresco was the best option to enjoy one of the last warmish days of the year.

She was halfway through her second beer and third slice before her brain quieted down enough to register the hubbub across the street.

Killian Jones – the smooth-talking, gorgeous man whose bones she would gladly jump – was dancing around his living room in his boxers, singing along at full volume to Straight Up by Paula Abdul.  

“Are you more than hot for me or am I a page in your history?” Killian bellowed, rearranging books and furniture as he twirled around.

Emma nearly choked on a swig of beer. His performance was nothing short of mesmerizing even through the coughing and spluttering of the choking aftermath. He didn’t even notice her presence on the balcony until the song had finished and she stood up to applaud, pizza slice in hand.

Killian paused only a fraction of an embarrassed second before giving her an exaggerated bow and clambering out the balcony door.

Whatever explanation awaited her was cut short by a sudden thunderstorm, buckets of water pelting them both as they scrambled to head back inside and close their respective windows. Emma just managed to close the lid of the pizza box and shield the top of her opened beer before they got too waterlogged.

The rest of the night Emma erupted into giggles any time she glanced to the window, rain blocking any decent view of her neighbour. She hoped they would run into each other again; she definitely needed to talk about this fascinating new development.

***

  


Granny’s diner was pretty dead for a Saturday morning. Emma assumed the torrential downpour of the night before dissuaded people from leaving the comfort of their homes, but a full breakfast was calling her name.

Apparently it had also called out to Killian, whose scruffy form greeted her as soon as she opened the door, mug of coffee steaming on the counter in front of him. Emma wasted no time in bringing up last night.

“Paula Abdul, _seriously?”_

“Are you more of a Tiffany fan, love?”

Emma rolled her eyes at the sincerity of his delivery.

“You missed my Fine Young Cannibals performance the other day, I daresay.”

“What a shame,” Emma smirked. Somehow all previous intimidation by the most mesmerizing man she had ever met had melted away the second she’d heard his dulcet tones busting out cheesy ‘80s pop.  

“Is it my choice of music you find offensive or do you think my dancing talents would be better used elsewhere?” Killian raised an eyebrow suggestively.

“Talent is quite the choice of words. Not necessarily the one I’d go with.”

“That sounds like a challenge, Swan. What do you say we take my karaoke machine out for a test drive this afternoon? Winner buys dinner at this fine establishment.”

Emma could practically hear Granny beaming her approval from the kitchen.

“Are you asking me out?”

“That I am. I need to suss out what musical talents _you_ have, love.”

“And just how to you propose we score exactly who wins karaoke?”

“Well truthfully we’d both be winners because even if you lose, you’d still get to hear me sing, and if I were to lose I’d still get to spend the day with you. So really it’s win-win all around.”

“You’re going down, buddy.” Emma smiled wide despite her threat, watching Killian look the closest to flustered she’d seen him.  


“Brilliant. Looking forward to seeing just what you’re made of, Swan.”

“One thing though – clothes are mandatory.”

“If the lady insists…”


End file.
